Chelsea manager Antonio Conte missed out on a number of targets last summer (Picture: Nick Potts/PA Wire)

Chelsea suffered a double transfer blow last summer as two targets turned down the club due to fears over Antonio Conte’s future, it has been claimed.

Conte has openly admitted he was left disappointed by the club’s transfer business over the summer as the Blues failed to bring a host of targets to Stamford Bridge.

Chelsea signed Alvaro Morata, Tiemoue Bakayoko, Danny Drinkwater, Antonio Rudiger and Davide Zappacosta for substantial fees but Conte was hoping for further reinforcements with Chelsea returning to Europe to compete in the Champions League.

The Evening Standard say Chelsea were close to bringing two more unnamed players to the club but both rejected the move due to concerns over Conte’s long-term future as manager.

Conte’s position was under intense scrutiny at the start of last season but the Italian inspired an impressive revival at Stamford Bridge that saw the Blues win the title for the second time in three years.

The Premier League champions suffered a shock defeat to West Ham on Saturday (Picture: Getty)

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The former Juventus boss has appeared agitated throughout the current campaign, however, with his side falling 14 points behind Manchester City in the title race and finishing their Champions League group in second-place.

Conte, 48, has been repeatedly linked with a return to Italy and warned his players on Sunday that they face a fight to finish in the top four after giving up hope of a title defence.

‘There’s a problem in this league,’ Conte said after Saturday’s shock defeat to West Ham. ‘There are six top teams and there are only four places for the Champions League and two places for the Europa League.